Tips: Preventing Auto Theft

More than one million vehicles are stolen every year. In 1990, more than 1.6 million vehicles were stolen at an estimated national cost of over 8 billion dollars.

In the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office, a dedicated deputy prosecutor works collaboratively with a team of law enforcement officers on the Auto Crimes Enforcement Task Force. The task force is funded by a grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The team includes officers from the Lakewood Police Department, Tacoma Police Department, Puyallup Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. Together they target the region's most prolific car thieves and work to arrest and prosecute these offenders. To avoid becoming a victim, the task force recommends taking the following steps:

1. Lock your car
2. Remove all keys
3. Park in well-lit areas
4. Park in attended lots
5. Don’t leave your car running
6. Close all windows
7. Do not leave valuables in plain view
8. Do not hide a spare key in the car
9. If you have a garage, use it and lock up